PETITION.
To the Commissioners under the act of Congress approved the 16th of April, 1862, entitled "An act for the
release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of
Columbia."
Your Petitioner,
Peregrine H. Browning
of
Washington City D.C.
by this his petition in writing,
represents and states, that he is a person loyal
to the United States, who, at the time of the passage of the said act of
Congress, held a claim to service or labor against
Jane Simms Johnson
person of African descent of the names of
Jane Simms
for and during the life of said
Jane Simms
and that by said act of Congress said
Jane Simms was discharged and freed of and from
all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said
discharge said
Jane Simms was
of the age of thirty eight and of the personal
description following:Here
describe the person, so as to identify him or her; and if there be more than
one slave, describe each one separately.
viz: dark brown and in height about five feet six
inches; said Jane is sound in body and mind and is an
excellent house servant and good cook and I know of no moral mental or
bodily infirmities which impair the value of your petitioner claim to the
service and labor and that the value of said Jane was
about Eight Hundred Dollars
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said
Jane Simms
in manner following:Here
state how the claim was acquired, when, from whom, and for what price or
consideration; and, if held under any written evidence of title, make
exhibit thereof, or refer to the public record where the same may be
found.
Viz: By special gift from my Aunt
Holmes the widow of William
Holmes deceased and formerly a resident of Montgomery Co
Md the said Jane Simms was born in the
family of my Aunt Holmes She has been owned by me by
virtue of the special gift over twenty years and the said
Jane was the bona fide slave of my said
Aunt
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said
Jane Simms
was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of eight hundred dollars in money.Here state such facts, if any
there be, touching the value of the petitioner's claim to the service or
labor of the person, as may enhance the same, and also such facts, if any,
touching the moral, mental, and bodily infirmities or defects of said
person, as impair the value of the petitioner's claim to such service or
labor, and conclude such statement with an averment that the petitioner
knows of no other infirmities or defects of said person which impair the
value of petitioner's claim to such service or labor, and that he believes
none other to exist. If the petitioner specify no such infirmity or defect,
then his statement touching the value of his claim should conclude with an
averment that he has no knowledge of any such infirmity or defect.
Your petitioner hereby declares that he bears true
and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that he has not borne arms against the United States in
the present rebellion, nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto.
And your petitioner further states and alleges, that he has not brought said
Jane Simms
into the District of Columbia since the passage of
said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said
Jane
held to service or labor therein under and by virtue of your petitioner's
claim to such service or labor.
Your petitioner further states and alleges, that he
said claim to the service or labor of said
Jane
does not originate in or by virtue of any transfer heretofore made by any
person who has in any manner aided or sustained the present rebellion against
the Government of the United States.
And your petitioner prays the said Commissioners to investigate and determine the
validity of his said claim to the service or labor
of said
Jane Simms
herein above set forth; and if the same be found to be valid, that they
appraise and apportion the value of said claim in money, and report the same to
the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, in conformity to the
provisions of said act of Congress.
(Signed by)
P. H. Browning